Argentina has earned the reputation for being the giant killer in world hockey. The sole representative from Latin America, unlike its more famed soccer team that is renowned for artistry, the hockey team is relies more on strength, playing game ‘the hard way’.
Argentina was the last of the 12 nations to qualify for World Cup, booking their berth in the third and final World Cup qualifier.
The team has shown consistent improvement in its performance graph and the bronze medal they won at the 2008 Champions Trophy was their first silverware, and also the first won by any nation from the Americas in any major international men`s hockey competition.
For long Jorge Lombi was the flag-bearer for Argentina in hockey. Younger brother of the head coach Pablo, Jorge was joint top scorer at the 2002 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur on 10 goals.
Besides Lombi, the Argentina team is well served by the Vila brothers, Matías (Tilburg), Lucas (Tilburg) and Rodrigo (Den Bosch), who all ply their trade in Holland and Pedro Ibarra (SCHC), top scorer of the World Cup qualifier in Quilmes, also plays for a Dutch top flight club.
For Argentina, this will be their 11th World Cup, having previously made appearances in each edition except for Utrecht 1998.
Their sixth place in London 1986 and Kuala Lumpur 2002 remain their best performances while in 2006, in Mönchengladbach, Argentina struggled to a 10th place finish.
